Boccieri compares Pope, Hood
The challenger is campaign chairman of the person Boccieri unseated two years ago.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- Is it Ron Hood's revenge?
Not exactly. Randy Pope of Alliance, who served as campaign chairman for Hood's three successful state representative bids and for his unsuccessful run in 2000, is seeking a state House seat himself.
His opponent is state Rep. John Boccieri, a New Middletown Democrat, who defeated Hood in the 2000 election.
Boccieri, who is running for his second two-year term, said Pope, a Republican, is "identical to Hood," who was considered among the most conservative House members during his six years there.
"Pope is more visible and well-spoken than Hood, but still the conservative issues are his," Boccieri said of his 61st Ohio House District opponent.
'Strong conservative'
Pope freely acknowledges he is a "strong conservative," who opposes any kind of tax increase and less government intervention.
"The only way to get government off my back is to be part of the system," he said.
Boccieri and Pope agree that the state needs to stop wasting money and spent it more wisely. Pope supports a freeze on state spending.
The way to attract businesses to Ohio is to reduce regulations, including those on safety, on businesses, Pope said.
Boccieri says the state, which is facing a projected $4 billion budget deficit, is not in a position to provide incentives for businesses, but needs to make Ohio more business-friendly by partnering with universities.
Northeast Ohio needs "access to our state's resources and the right mix of policy decisions and investment that can jump-start our economy," he said. "Imperative to this task is the funding of higher education. I will fight to fund our universities appropriately so that we can have an educated work force."
District communities
The 61st District includes Beaver, Smith, Springfield, New Middletown, Sebring, Beloit, Goshen, Green, Washingtonville as well as all of Carroll County and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties. For the first time in a decade, Mahoning is not the largest county in the district. That honor goes to Stark, Pope's home county.
skolnick@vindy.com